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I've followed Diogu ever since he was traded to the Indiana Pacers in that eight player trade with the Golden State Warriors a few years back.

He's really frustrated me over the years, he's got the talent to become a very solid post presence and a good solid bench player, or on the right team a starter. All he needs too do is put all of his skills together and play up to his potential.

Diogu has very good post moves, and an aggressiveness on the court that not many players have.

His first half-year with the Pacers was ok, he didn't play much, but when he did he showed the coaches that he could contribute to the team by playing hard, and playing defense.

After that half-year, with a full summer of working with the team he came into the season ready too play some good minutes. The first few games he had great minutes, and was putting up great numbers, then it happened. He tore his calf muscle I believe was the muscle and he had to sit out a couple months.

When he finally came back, they decided not too play him. I honestly don't know why, they just decided that he wasn't going to play for them anymore. He got limited minutes all that year, and whenever he got in the game, he always put up great numbers, but it never translated into playing time.

This brings us to this past offseason, where he was getting ready too play yet another season. The setting is draft night 2008, and the picks are getting made. The Indiana Pacers have just selected Jerryd Bayless at pick #11, and all the Pacers fans are going crazy that he fell to them. Then! All of a sudden the analysts start talking about a trade between the Blazers and Pacers involving a switch of picks.

After the deal had fully evolved, the deal was Ike Diogu and the draft rights to #11 Jerryd Bayless heading to the Portland Trail Blazers for draft rights to #13 Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack, and young forward Josh McRoberts.

Pacers fans weren't too happy about that deal, but Diogu didn't mind, he finally had another shot too get more playing time.

Starting the year in Portland it looked promising for Diogu. He didn't play much at the beginning of the year, but around 10-15 games into the season, coach McMillan said that Diogu would be taking over time in the rotation from Channing Frye. That didn't last long at all, as Diogu was soon riding the pine yet again, while Frye was still getting the same minutes that he had been getting before.

This obviously was a statement that he wasn't really wanted in Portland. So, at the trade deadline, another deal involving Diogu's name was announced. As part of a very small deal Diogu was traded to Sacramento.

Ever since that deal, Diogu has continued to sit bench and hasn't played much. It makes you wonder, is it because he just doesn't like getting coached and the coaches don't play him? Is there something wrong in his work ethic that the organization sees and they don't want him too play? Or is it just that the coach just doesn't see how much talent he has? I don't know the answer. Do you?